30 January 2015

One of my favorite posts to make on this blog is a Super Bowl Drinking Game. So for Super Bowl 2015, I knew I had to make you guys the best 2015 Super Bowl Drinking Game! This would go perfectly with other Super Bowl party games too, like Super Bowl Squares 2015! I have also included a link for a printable version, so you can have them on the table at your Super Bowl Party!

Oh and a special special special shoutout to a very important part of my life whose birthday is today... and that would be Venus Trapped in Mars who is turning 2 years old! Girlfriend, you don't look a day over one and a half! I'm sorry your birthday is being overshadowed by Super Bowl Week, but hey, the Super Bowl made you... you! And what better day to have a birthday than on Fan Friday?! So don't worry, I promise we will celebrate in style next week will the full blog post your birthday so deserves!

With even more Fan Friday goodness for you today, I've got Jenny here from Sprinkles and Sundresses with an awesome post about her Super Bowl viewing habits, as told through GIFs. I really need to think about embracing the idea of cheering for both teams... I know one thing, I sure would have a lot less, "Oh, she's an ANGRY ELF" nights!

It has come to my attention that Sarah has dedicated this week to a certain sporting event that is taking place this weekend. Now, I love Sarah's blog (is it going too far to say that I love Sarah too? I don't know if we have that kind of relationship) but I do not love sports. I also love GIFs, which you will see relatively quickly if you come visit me over at my blog. So, without further ado, here is how I enjoy the Super Bowl- as told through GIFs.

Oh look the game is starting.

I don't remember which teams are playing. Eh, I'll just cheer for both teams. That way I'll end up happy either way.

Finally, commercials. Time to actually pay attention.

Maybe when nobody else is paying attention I can switch the channel over to the puppy bowl...

Okay nope back to football.

Anyone else celebrate the Super Bowl my way? It's fun of course because it's all about being with friends. I guess sports are okay since they bring together friends and food! Still, I'll take my friends and food with a movie or something over "the big game."

29 January 2015

I'm so sorry to all you Patriots fans, but I am 100% rooting for the Seahawks this year. Well, maybe congrats to you Pats fans since this pretty much guarantees you a win, seeing as every team I root for loses. The Super Bowl is so much bigger and more exciting than just funny commercials, Katy Perry and cheese fries. Although, I'm not sure my boyfriend would agree that anything is better than Katy Perry, but that is neither here nor there.

So for those of you who haven't been staying glued to NFL news, this post is for you! And to my girls who knew all this stuff already, maybe you'll still get a chuckle or two out of it... because discussing Tom Brady's deflated balls will never not be funny.

What is it?

In what is still an ongoing investigation, the NFL thus far found that, in the first half of the AFC Championship game featuring the Indianapolis Colts vs. the New England Patriots, the balls were not inflated to the NFL regulations.So what? The conditions for that game were cold and rainy. Deflated balls are easier to hold on to (hah), grab (hah), catch (hah) and throw (that one was not as funny as the others).Well, if the balls were deflated, wouldn't both teams have an advantage? Good question! Oh, you didn't ask this? Well I asked this because I didn't understand how the NFL's balls were handled (hah).

A week prior to game day, each team is delivered their own set of 12 footballs. So New England plays offense with their own set of 12 balls, and Indianapolis plays with their own set of 12 balls. The quarterback is allowed to rough up their balls (hah), so they feel better in their hands (hah). Eli Manning is known for really roughing up his balls (hah) in a very specific way.

This is very much like in baseball, when a pitcher uses a Rosin Bag to rough up the ball before he pitches. Roughing up your game day balls is totally legal. Altering the pressure of the football, is not.Ohhh, ok. I get it. So how did the NFL find out about it? Tom Brady threw an interception in the second quarter. The Colts player who made the interception, D'Qwell Jackson, told his equipment manager that the ball felt under-inflated when he made the catch. That message got relayed to the coach, who, of course, relayed it to the NFL officials.

And thus, deflate-gate was born.

Marshawn Lynch is notorious for not wanting to talk to the media... or to well, anyone at all. He thinks actions are greater than words... more specifically he's self admittedly, "just bout that action boss."

So during Super Bowl Media day, the NFL threatened to fine him $500,000 if he didn't show up.

Well Marshawn showed, and answered every question, 29 questions to be exact, with the same answer, "I'm just here so I won't get fined."

This. Was. Awesome.

Marshawn has a fan for life in me now, because if you were in a sorority, like I was, you know exactly where he was coming from!

Sorority Recruitment?
"Yeah, I'm just here so I won't get fined."

Homecoming float building?
"Yeah, I'm just here so I won't get fined."

7 Hour Long New Member Initiation?
"Yeah, I'm just here so I won't get fined."

Standards Board Hearing?
"Yeah, I'm just here so I won't get fined."

Study Hours?
"Yeah, I'm just here so I won't get fined."

I got you Marshawn. I got you.

Many people are saying that a Super Bowl win for Tom Brady on Sunday could easily mark him as the greatest quarterback of all time. Here are the facts, I'll let you decide if he deserves the title of best ever, should he win.

- A Win Will Bring Brady's Total Super Bowl Victories to 4

-Who holds the current QB Super Bowl Victory Record?

Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, each with 4 victories

-Brady's 6th Super Bowl Appearance

Ties with one other guy you've never heard of. Mike Lodish (see told ya, never heard of him)

When playing against QBs that have won a Super Bowl, Russell Wilson's record?

10-0.

TEN AND OHHHHH!

You know what that tells me? He has ice in his veins.

Wilson on the free throw line for two shots with 1 second in the game, down by one?

He's gonna make em both.

Wilson at bat, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, down by three?

Wilson's gonna hit a walk-off grand slam

Wilson down by a stroke and putting for eagle on the 18th to win the Masters?***

Wilson's gonna drain that put to win the tournament

He may not have the flair, arm, or accuracy Brady does... but the kid wins football games. Watch out for Mr. Wilson, Patriot fans.

***update: Upon CB reading my blog post today, he informed me of the following"Sarah... no one has ever gotten an Eagle on the 18th at the Masters, ever. No one drives the green on 18 at Augusta. They just don't."-------- ok but Russell Wilson could, that is how clutch he is... #justsayin

Kickoff:

6:30pm EST

TV Channel:

NBC

Location:

University of Phoenix Stadium

Glendale, AZ

National Anthem:

Idina Menzel

Halftime Show:

Katy Perry

Current Favorite in Vegas:

Patriots by 1 point

::Plus::

Here is another post from last year that might help you before you Super Bowl!

Terrell Owens - (TO) tries to buy just 5 squares, I tell him if he buys more I'll be his Facebook friend, so he buys 20 - $20 (He ended up having to take out a loan for the $20)

Buggs Bunny (BB) comes in and scoops up the rest ($40)

With $100 in the pot. We will have 4 winners, each winner gets $25! Our board now looks like this...

Our next step is to randomly list our numbers across the top and down the side.

We sit down and start shoveling cheese dip and funneling beers into our belly, while watching the game.

The first quarter ends, and the score is Seattle 7 - New England 10. Find 7 on Seattle's side, and 0 on New England's side, then you find your winner!

And Buggs is your first quarter winner! Yay Buggs, get it! Any questions??! I'm here to help!

*Warning* Always play with ice cold (Miller light) beer! And of course drink responsibly and junk.
BTW-- I'm just here today so I won't get fined. Anyone else on board with this?
Marshawn for president!

27 January 2015

Like I mentioned yesterday, it's Super Bowl week and I have more posts planned than I have days left until the Super Bowl on Sunday! But those posts are going to have to wait until at least this afternoon because boy do I have a story for y'all.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I went with CB to visit my family in Virginia. We spent part of the trip in Virginia Beach, and the remainder in Richmond where I grew up. I was excited to have my partner in crime with me on this trip, and on Thursday night we thought it would be fun to check out the VA Beach nightlife.

We walked into this particular bar to find a Beer Pong Tournament in progress. One thing you should know about me... beer pong is my favorite game in all the land.

It was crystal clear to CB and me that all the teams in the tournament were besties that did this every Thursday, and we were the outsiders. Everyone was super nice though, and explained their rules up front........ their really dumb rules that DID NOT INCLUDE AN ELBOW RULE. I of course played elbow rule anyway because I'm not a dirty cheater.

I assure you I have a punch line to this story (hah....foreshadowing)

Much to everyone's surprise, we made it to the semi-finals where we were eventually knocked out by the number 3 ranked beer pong player in the world. Because apparently, beer pong rankings are a thing. He was about 28 feet tall, and with no elbow rules, he pretty much Bozo-Super-Sunday-Show'ed us, bucket after bucket. After apologizing for what I said when I was losing to the number three beer pong player in the world, we all chatted for a while, and he actually turned out to be a real nice guy.

Even though we were out of the tournament, games continued and some random guy needed a partner. He asked me if I'd like to play. I lit up, seeing as that meant I got to play more beer pong. CB joined me over at the table to cheer me on. I made a few cups, and then all of a sudden a girl came out of no where, grabbed a cup of water off the table, and threw it at CB. This girl was NOT playing in the tournament, and I still quite literally have no idea where she even came from, or why she was such an angry elf.

I leave my side of the table and immediately go to defend my man. I simply shrug my shoulders and ask her, "Heyyyy what was that for?"

Next thing I know she comes at me swinging, Jerry Springer style, clocking me right in the forehead. She continues wildly slapping in an attempt to grab my hair or hit me with a chair or whatever it is girls do in bar fights.

Meanwhile, I have lost all basic motor functions because I am crying so hysterically. CB is able to get in the middle, while some guys manage to pry this nutcase off of me.

My pristine bar rap sheet flashes before my eyes. Am I going to get kicked out???! Meanwhile, tears flood down my face as CB tries to calm me down. I thought if I were ever in a fight I would be a little tougher, turns out, NOPE!

Well, I certainly did not get kicked out. It's hard to get kicked out when you can't muster up anything other than tears, let alone a retaliation. Really Sarah??? I expected more from you.

Instead, people kept coming up offering me drinks, and shots and their condolences. The other girl, of course, did get kicked out. I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume this wasn't her first bar fight.

I woke up the next morning and felt a bruise on my forehead, right where she clocked me. I then nodded and smiled to myself, knowing I could now check bar brawl off my bucket list. Don't mess with me, people.

Do. Not. Mess. With. Me. #SoBadass

And here are some pictures from my trip, you know, if you're into that basic girl stuff like blogging, and iPhone cameras, and wine, and family. That is for sure not me of course, I'm only into badass things like picking bar fights on the reg.

Before I sign off today, I've got my girl Morgan from Believe in the Sparks giving five amazing (and very pinworthy might I add) tips for staying relaxed on your wedding day. Can I add a tip #6?

Tip number 6: don't invite me to your wedding. I'm just way too much of a loose cannon. You'll never know what I'm going to do next! Just kidding. I'm harmless. I can't promise I won't cry though.

In the days leading up to my wedding day I received many comments from strangers and family alike noting my uncharacteristic calm and relaxed demeanor. It's no secret that brides are crazy stressed in the days (or weeks or months) leading up to her big day, but I can sit here and honestly tell you that I wasn't the least bit stressed or nervous about my wedding day.

I'm a stressed out person by nature. Daily stress constantly takes control of my life. That combined with my extreme type-A and slightly OCD personality produces the perfect formula for an uptight and stressed out bride... Except I wasn't either. I was as calm as a cucumber, and I like to think that these five reasons below had a lot to do with it.

Hire a wedding coordinator.

Hiring a wedding coordinator was the best decision I made throughout my entire planning process. He took all my worries and fears about the wedding and turned them into his priority. He gave me a timeline, an agenda, and he made things happen. Most importantly, he was there on my wedding day planning and designing and coordinating. I didn't have to do a thing on my day other than relax and prepare to take that walk down the aisle. He had everything else under control. If I can give you just one piece of advice for your wedding day, here it is: budget for a wedding coordinator. Make cuts elsewhere in the wedding so you can hire that person who will become your best friend on your day and your lifesaver during your planning process and especially on your wedding day.

Start the day early.

My ceremony was scheduled to begin at 5:00pm, but the wedding day process starting at 7:00 that morning. My girls and I eased through the hair and makeup process while leaving plenty of extra time for mimosa sipping and storytelling. We took our time arriving at the venue, and were able to put on our dresses without a moment of rush. Not one moment of my wedding day felt chaotic or rushed. I had time to sit around and soak in everything happening around me. Create an agenda for your day, and stick to it. Thankfully I had my coordinator who did this for me, but it's something a bride can easily do herself before the big day. Have a timeline, and then add thirty extra minutes to complete each activity. This will give you plenty of extra wiggle room in case there is a hiccup during the day.

Don't stress about the things that you can't control.

The unexpected will happen. You can not anticipate or prepare for every little thing on your wedding day.I arrived at the venue on my wedding day to see a haze of smoke surrounding the property. There was an apparent controlled brush fire happening about a mile from the venue, and the smoke extended for miles. My coordinator did all he could, including calling the mayor of the small town, but it was to no avail. The fire was in full force and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. My initial reaction when I saw the smokey haze was to freak out, but I knew that I couldn't control it and thus a freak out wouldn't help the situation. Thankfully all worked out in the end. The fire wrapped about a couple of hours before the ceremony, and there wasn't a trace of smoke in the air come wedding time!

Keep a mimosa in hand at all times.

I am in no way condoning brides to get drunk before she takes that walk down the aisle, but do believe me when I say that mimosas (in moderation) do wonders for the nerves! Just trust me on this one.

Turn up the music and put on a mini concert with all your best girls before the ceremony starts.

My bridesmaids did a fabulous job keeping the music playing all day long, but about an hour before the ceremony started, my girls turned up the party music and led us all in song and dance. We belted out a little Miley Cyrus (Party in the USA to be exact) and danced around in our dresses and heels. It was the perfect way to shake out and last minute jitters before walking down the aisle. Not to mention, it was a wonderful memory I share with my girls of that very special day.

26 January 2015

Tomorrow begins Super Bowl Week at VTIM! If you remember, I did a full week of football and Super Bowl related posts last year, and I'm going to do the same this year! Plus this week marks the two year anniversary for Venus Trapped in Mars! Eeek! So I want to do it up right in honor of one of my favorite weeks of the year!

To get everyone in the game day mood, how about a tickets and gear giveaway?!!!?

Do you want $125 to spend at StubHub / Victoria's Secret from me and my friends? Winner takes all... PLUS the winner gets to decide how much of that $125 they want to spend on tickets, and how much they want to spend on new gear to wear to the big game from Victoria's Secret. But don't thank me, thank them...

21 January 2015

I am mom to two of the sweetest little pups that ever lived. Well, all pups are the sweetest that ever lived, but these two just happen to be all mine. I adopted General Neyland (Nicknames Include: Gee, Gee Unit, Gee Neyland, The Sir) in February 2009, right after I graduated college. In case you were wondering, General is named after the great Robert Neyland, the most winningest football coach in The University of Tennessee history. Yeah, we all know, I'm a super fan. Gee was about a year old when I got him, and will be 7 next month. He is a mutt... a mutt that is 100% howling beagle, in my expert veterinary opinion.

While Gee is a good ole Tennessee boy, Venus (Nicknames: Veenie, Vee, Veen, Veenie-Bo-Beenie, White Dog) is a born and mutt-bread Texas gal. About 7 months after moving to Dallas, I started volunteering for Paws in the City, a rescue organization in Dallas. When I first began volunteering, I was just doing their social media and graphic design. I really wanted to help, but also wanted to keep a safe distance from alllllllll of the sweet baby adoptable pups that needed a furever home. I didn't trust myself to volunteer at the adoption events.

And with good reason.

Welcome Veenie-Bo-Beenie to the family. She was at the very first adoption event I ever volunteered. Go figure. But really, look at her adoption photo. Like, really?

I'd like to meet this photographer and shake his or her hand... because how he/she ever got Veenie to sit still for this photo, and at less than a year old at the time, is BEYOND me. Veenie is also a mutt, like Gee. They told me she was part Doxen, part Jack Russell. But like Gee, in my expert veterinary opinion, girlfriend is a 100% bonkers Jack Russell Terrier.

While Veenie is seemingly bullet proof *knocks on wood of course*, Gee has really struggled with a nagging health issue over the past few years. Two years ago, I was told by the Vets that they were quite certain that Gee had a tumor in his jaw and they gave him a handful of months to live. Gee was 5 years old at the time... FIVE. No, my dog is not dying at age 5, he just isn't. I of course had a nervous breakdown.

Ever since my Dad passed away in 2006, I've really struggled with separation anxiety. Obviously it doesn't take a PhD to figure out why that is. Ever since CB came into my life, I don't fear goodbyes as much... hey, that is pretty cool, that just dawned on me!!... But for the longest time, I couldn't do "goodbyes" with family or friends without spending the entire day in a fit of tears. So getting the news that Gee most likely wouldn't make it... well I was a complete and utter wreck.

Long story short, Gee had a tooth pulled and a section from his jaw biopsied and he DID NOT HAVE CANCER. Cue the tears of the most insane joy of my whole life. I hugged that sweet baby so hard that night.

But here we are 2 years later, and after a visit to the vet yesterday, that tumor word is being tossed around yet again. Gee needs more teeth pulled, but they are worried his jaw my break in doing so. I have choices to make.

Do I spend a small fortune, an amount that could be as much as three or four months rent, and play it safe by doing a biopsy and x-rays? This option would confirm to the vets that his jaw can hold up. It would also confirm that, god forbid, there isn't another culprit like a tumor that can't be seen by the naked eye causing this disease.

Or do I take a chance and simply pull the teeth, which has worked two different times in the past without complications, and hope that his jaw won't crumble, and that a tumor hasn't developed in the past two years.

The good news in the short term, is that it doesn't seem to slow him down from his very important squirrel hunting duties! He is eating and drinking and hopping and skipping and jumping and playing just fine. I know whatever decision I make, it will be the right one for Gee, for me and for our little family.

Sometimes it helps to just get all these thoughts organized and down on paper, or on blog in this case! Just do me a favor and hug your fur babies for me tonight, will ya?